Grandiflora rose plant named `Meihurge`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grandiflora rose plant is provided which abundantly forms attractive brick red blossoms. The lant growth habit is semi-erect. The plant exhibits medium green and glossy foliage, as well as good disease resistance. The new variety is particularly well suited fro growing as attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of grandiflora rose plant was created by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the newvariety was the product of the cross of the `Tanorstar` variety(non-patented in the United States) and the `Deltep` variety(non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e., the pollenparent) was the `Meipraserpi` variety (non-patented in the UnitedStates). The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

    (`Tanorstar`×`Deltep`)×`Meipraserpi`.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of grandiflora rose plant of thepresent invention possesses the following combination ofcharacteristics:

(a) forms in abundance on a substantially continuous basis attractivebrick red blossoms,

(b) exhibits a semi-erect growth habit,

(c) forms attractive dense dark green and glossy foliage,

(d) exhibits good disease resistance, and

(e) is particularly well suited for growing as attractive ornamentationin the landscape.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andis particularly well adapted for use as an attractive ornamental plantin an outdoors environment.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Franceby a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and cuttage. Asexualpropagation by the above-mentioned techniques in France has shown thatthe characteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictlytransmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation toanother.

The new variety initially was named `urgence`, and subsequently has beennamed the `Meihurge` variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were two years of age and were observed duringOctober while budded on Rosa froebelii understock and growing outdoorsat Le Cannet des Maures, Var France. Dimensions in centimeters areindicated at the bottom of the photograph.

FIG. 1 -- illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2 -- illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening ofthe sepals;

FIG. 3 -- illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 4 -- illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5 -- illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening:

FIG. 6 -- illustrates a specimen of an open flower -- plan view --obverse;

FIG. 7 -- illustrates a specimen of an open flower -- plan view --reverse;

FIG. 8 -- illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower -- plan view --obverse;

FIG. 9 -- illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower -- plan view --reverse;

FIG. 10 -- illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11 -- illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12 -- illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 13 -- illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 14 -- illustrates specimens of leaves with three leaflets -- planview -- upper surface (left) and under surface (right); and

FIG. 15 -- illustrates specimens of leaves with five leaflets -- planview -- upper surface (upper right) and under surface (lower left).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthe observation of three year-old plants during June while budded onRosa froebelii understock and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures,Var, France. The coloration in common terms precedes reference to thechart in some instances.

Class: Grandiflora.

Plant:

Height.--Approximately 90 cm. on average at the end of two growingseasons.

Habit.--Compact and semi-erect.

Branches:

Color.--Young Stems: Yellow-Green Group 146C. Adult wood: Yellow-GreenGroup 146B.

Thorns.--Size: vary from small to large. Quantity: numerous, and morethan typical for the class (as illustrated). Color: reddish (Red Group53B) on young stems and Havana brown (Greyed-Orange Group 175B) on adultwood.

Leaves:

Stipules.--Narrow, adnate, and pectinate.

Petioles.--Upper surface: striped reddish-brown on young foliage, andmedium green on adult foliage. On the adult foliage are near Green Group137D with highlights of Yellow-Green Group 144C. Under surface: lightgreen, and bear small thorns.

Leaflets.--Number: 3, 5 (most often), and 7. Shape: oval. Size: mediumfor class. Serration: simple and regular (as illustrated). Texture:consistent. General appearance: very dense, medium green, and glossy.Color (young foliage): upper surface: Green Group 139A and widelysuffused with reddish brown. under surface: Green Group 139A and widelysuffused with reddish brown. Color (adult foliage): upper surface: nearGreen Group 139A. under surface: near Greyed-Green Group 191A.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Usually two to five per stem.

Peduncle.--very strong without bent necks, light green (Green Group138B) suffused with reddish coloration (Red Group 53C) bears smallrelatively soft thorns and acicules, and the length is approximately 3.5cm. on average.

Stem length.--Commonly approximately 30 to 38 cm. on average.

Sepals.--Upper surface: tomentose, and greenish (Greyed-Green Group194D) in coloration. Under surface: light green (commonly between GreenGroups 143A and 143B) in coloration and with a few extensions. Theextensions are short and near fanlike in appearance.

Buds.--Shape: conical. Length: approximately 2.5 cm. on average. Size:medium. Color upon opening: upper surface: near Greyed-Orange Group169A. under surface: near Greyed-Orange Group 169A.

Flower.--Shape: Cup-shaped and globase. Diameter: approximately 9 to 10cm. on average. Color (when opening begins): upper surface: near BrickRed, Orange-Red Group 35A. under surface: near Brick Red, Orange-RedGroup 35A and lightly suffused with Orange-Red Group 35B. Color (whenblooming): upper surface: Near Brick Red, Orange-Red Group 35A. undersurface: near Brick Red, Orange-Red Group 35C. Color (at end ofopening): upper surface: near Brick Red, Orange-Red Group 35A. undersurface: near light Brick Red, Orange-Red Group 35D. Fragrance: absent.Petal number: approximately 33 on average. Petal shape: orbicular, andthe base is obtuse and the tips are rounded. Petal texture: consistent.Stamen number: approximately 130 on average. Anthers: ochre incoloration. Filaments: yellowish in coloration. Pistils: approximately75 on average. Stigmas: yellowish in coloration. Styles: yellowish incoloration. Receptacle: light green, smooth, and in longitudinal sectionin the shape of a funnel. Tendency to form hips: none. Life of blossoms:commonly approximately 7 to 10 days on the plant and approximately 3 to5 days when cut and placed in a vase.

Development

Vegetation.--Strong.

Blooming.--Abundant, precocious, and substantially continuous.

Resistance to diseases.--Good with respect to Powdery Mildew, Blackspot,and Downy Mildew.

Resistance to frost.--Good.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of grandiflora rose plantcharacterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) formsin abundance on a substnatially continuous basis attractive Brick Redblossoms, (b) exhibits a semi-erect growth habit, (c) forms attractivedense dark green and glossy foliage, (d) exhibits good diseaseresistance, and (e) is particularly well suited for growing asattractive ornamentation in the landscape;substantially as herein shownand described.